Monthly unleaded 95 octane fuel prices in the United Kingdom (UK) 2017-2022

The price of unleaded 95 octane fuel in the United Kingdom has increased significantly in 2022. In September 2022, prices reached 165.3 pence per liter. This was a decrease compared to three months prior when they had climbed to a new high. Unleaded 95 octane is the most commonly used fuel in the UK. Unlike super unleaded, which is mostly used in high performance vehicles, it is suitable for most petrol engines. It is also the cheapest fuel option, when compared to diesel fuel prices.

Supermarket vs. UK average

When comparing prices, supermarkets are consistently the cheapest option when refueling. The gap between the two has varied, but in 2022 it has closed to just two pence per liter. In 2021, Tesco had the largest market share of motor fuel sold in the UK, at nearly 16 percent. The combined market share of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda amounted to 43.2 percent, which is unsurprising as supermarkets offer the cheapest prices.

Petrol station numbers

Although supermarkets have a large market share of the volume of petrol sold, it is major oil and gas companies that operate the greatest number of petrol stations. By the end of 2021, the British multinational oil and gas firm BP owned 1,218 sites across the country. The combined number of petrol stations of BP, Esso and Shell amounted to nearly 43 percent of all UK outlets. In comparison, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda operated less than 20 percent.